Army Officer Who Tied Man to Jeep is Honoured With COAS Commendation

Major Nitin Gogoi, the Army officer who ordered to tie up a Kashmiri man to the bonnet of his jeep to escape a stone-pelting crowd in the Valley, has been honoured by the Chief of Army Staff with a COAS commendation card on Monday, sources told CNN-News18.

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New Delhi: Major Leethul Gogoi, the Army officer who ordered to tie up a Kashmiri man to the bonnet of his jeep to escape a stone-pelting crowd in the Valley, has been honoured by the Chief of Army Staff with a COAS commendation card on Monday, sources told CNN-News18.

In an official statement, the Army said that the court of inquiry regarding the April 9 incident was being finalised. "While awarding the Officer, all factors including the notable performance of the officer and overall emerging indicators of the Court of Inquiry have been well-considered."

The said incident had kicked up a controversy amid a public outcry in the Kashmir Valley. After the video was circulated on social media, the civil and army authorities had launched separate investigations.

The video showed a thickset man sporting a beard, identified as Farooq Dar, said to have been picked up by an Army contingent that wanted to enter Beerwah village with polling staff.

Dar claimed he was moved around 10-12 villages at the head of the convoy, which included vehicles with security personnel and polling staff, before being let off.

Dar is a resident of Sitaharaan village in Khag tehsil of Budgam district in central Kashmir and the army unit involved is 53 Rashtriya Rifles.

Jammu and Kashmir police had also filed an FIR against the a unit of the Indian Army in connection the incident.

Dar had told investigators that after exercising his right to vote, he was proceeding towards his sister's village when he was caught by the army personnel who wanted to enter Beerwah village along with the polling staff, the officials said.